When accessing a communications network such as the World Wide Web (WWW) or a personal computer communications network which is based on a BBS function, the terminal (e.g., personal computer) of a user is connected via a modem and a telephone line to a first host computer, which is referred to as an information provider. Users can access the information provider, and other host computers further connected to the communications network, through the information provider. Users can receive information from both the information provider and other host computers connected to Internet (the World Wide Web) or personal computer network.
The information provider and the other host computers connected to the information provider identify each user based on a user ID and a password in order to be able to charge for their services while providing information. The information supplied to the user is displayed within a single window on the display. Users can scroll the displayed information within the window and jump to sub pages. The information provider on Internet may provide designated information selected by the user together with additional information such as advertisements. In this case, the additional information is displayed within the same window as the designated information.
However, when the user scrolls the designated information on the terminal, the additional information may disappear. This prevents the additional information such as advertisements from being efficiently provided to the user. Furthermore, identical information can oftentimes be accessed through any of multiple information providers, which can also be accessed by the same terminal software. A typical example of such identical information is a home page provided on Internet. When accessing such information, a user can not tell which information provider he is using.